United States v. Glaspie

993 F. Supp. 448, 1998 WL 47113
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Louisiana
DecidedJanuary 25, 1998
DocketCrim. No. 97-20098-01
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 993 F. Supp. 448 (United States v. Glaspie) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Glaspie, 993 F. Supp. 448, 1998 WL 47113 (W.D. La. 1998).

Opinion

RULING

MELANQON, District Judge.

Defendant’s Motion to Suppress Evidence was referred to United States Magistrate Judge Mildred E. Methvin for her Findings and Recommendation. After an independent review of the record and objections filed, this Court concludes that the Findings and Recommendation of the magistrate judge are correct and this Court adopts the conclusions set forth therein.

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that defendant’s Motion to Suppress Evidence is DENIED.

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION

METHVIN, United States Magistrate Judge.

Before the court is defendant’s Motion to Suppress Evidence filed November 17, 1997 (Rec.Doc. 39). The motion was referred to me for findings and recommendation pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B).

On December 9, 1997, a lengthy evidentiary hearing was held on the motion to suppress. A second hearing was conducted on December 19, 1997. After a review of the facts and the applicable law, I recommend that defendant’s motion to suppress be DENIED.

Summary of Issues and Findings

Defendant and his girlfriend, Kelly N. Abel, were arrested on August 1, 1997 after Lake Charles City Police officers found cocaine in Abel’s car and purse, on defendant’s person, and in a house shared by the two.

The instant federal indictment was returned on October 14, 1997, charging defendant and Abel with one count of possession with intent to distribute over 400 grams of crack cocaine. The court dismissed the charge against Abel without prejudice on November 19,1997, on the government’s motion (Rec.Doe. 44).

Defendant seeks to suppress four items of evidence: (1) a bag containing 45 grams of crack cocaine found in Abel’s ear; (2) a bag of cocaine found in Abel’s purse; (3) cocaine, marijuana, and a bag of cash found in the house which Abel and Glaspie shared; and (4) incriminating oral and written statements made by defendant following his arrest.1

Defendant argues that Items 1,2 and 3 are the product of unlawful searehés and seizures under the Fourth Amendment. Defendant’s motion is meritless as to these items. Defendant has no standing to object to the searches of Abel’s car and purse (Items 1 and 2). Even if he did, the searches were lawful. The search of the house which resulted in the seizure of Item 3 was pursuant to a valid search warrant.

Defendant argues ■ that his statements (Item 4) were involuntary and the product of promises and misleading statements made by FBI Agent Don Dixon. The evidence established that extensive confession bargaining occurred between Agent Dixon and defendant. I did not find either the defendant or Agent Dixon fully credible with respect to [452]*452the nature of the discussions. Nonetheless, considering the totality of the circumstances, I conclude that the negotiations did not render defendant’s statements involuntary.

FINDINGS OF FACT

Background

Two sets of events are pertinent to the motion to suppress: (1) those occurring on the night of August 1, 1997, when defendant and Abel were arrested; and (2) later discussions between defendant, Abel, and the FBI during which the FBI allegedly made false promises in return for defendant’s incriminating statements.

Night of August 1,1997

On August 1, 1997, Lake Charles Police Officer Gary Geheb responded to a complaint about a large group of males loitering at the Circle A store in Lake Charles.2 Officer Geheb instructed the males to leave the store.3 When Officer Geheb returned a short time later, the same group of males had again gathered at the store. Officer Geheb saw defendant inside the store and a black Nissan which defendant normally drove in the parking lot. Defendant was a suspected drug dealer whom Geheb had been investigating. Officer Geheb knew the car belonged to the defendant’s girlfriend, Kelly Abel.4 Officer Geheb went in the store and tried to converse with defendant. The defendant would not make eye contact and seemed quite nervous. When asked how he arrived at the store, the defendant responded that he had walked to the store. The officer believed this to be a lie, because he had never seen the defendant walking and the Nissan which he normally drove was in the lot. Defendant left the store on foot.

Officer Geheb called for backup and waited to see who would come for the Nissan. While waiting, Officer Geheb noticed a set of keys on the store. counter and asked the clerk who they belonged to. The clerk nervously replied that he had been told to say that they were his car keys. At this point, the officer believed there were drugs in the car based on all of the circumstances involved.

Eventually another man (later identified as Alan Anderson) entered the store, retrieved the keys, and drove the Nissan away. (Tr.I, p. 21). Officer Geheb made a “traffic stop” because the ear’s window tint appeared to be illegal. Anderson exited the vehicle, stated he did not know who owned the car, and refused Officer Geheb’s request to search the vehicle (Tr.I, p. 22-23). Officer Geheb then instructed the driver to roll down the window slightly so he could attach a tint meter. When the driver opened the car door, the officer observed a baggie containing crack cocaine in plain view in the driver’s side door panel (Tr.I, p. 24). Officer Geheb arrested Anderson and brought him to the station for questioning. Anderson then admitted that defendant had told him there were drugs in the car and offered him ten dollars to move it.

Following Anderson’s arrest and statement, Officer Geheb asked narcotics Detective Gary Sonnier for help in arresting defendant. (Tr.I, p. 41). Detective Sonnier and another officer went to the house in which defendant was known to reside with Abel— both to arrest the defendant, and to obtain a description of the house for search warrant. As they approached, the officers saw defendant leave the rear of the house and proceed along a sidewalk. (Tr.I, pp. 44, 60). Defendant began running when he saw the officers, and Detective Sonnier saw him reach into his pocket as he ran. Defendant was arrested shortly thereafter and a 1-2 oz. bag of crack cocaine was retrieved from the path where defendant had run (Tr.I, p. 45).

Detective Sonnier then went to the defendant’s residence with the purpose of obtaining Abel’s consent to'search, or to secure the [453]*453house until a search warrant could be obtained. Abel answered the door and allowed Sonnier into the house, but was evasive in response to questioning (Tr.I, pp. 47-48). Abel stated that the house was not in her name or in Glaspie’s, and that she and defendant just stayed there (Government’s Ex. No. 1, Affidavit in support of the search warrant). Detective Sonnier did not ask Abel to sign a voluntary search form in light of this response. Instead, he advised Abel that she would be brought down to the police station for questioning until he could obtain a search warrant to search the house. Sonnier asked Abel if she needed to take her purse, which was in plain sight on the couch just two to three feet away (Tr.I, p. 49). Abel looked at the purse and stated that she did not know where her purse was. Abel began walking around.

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Related

State v. Oliver
752 So. 2d 911 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1999)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
993 F. Supp. 448, 1998 WL 47113, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-glaspie-lawd-1998.